• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.149-152
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• 2001

Effect of topical application with 10, 20 and 30 ${\mu}g$/ml testosterone propionate and estradiol -17${\beta}$ on the fourth and fifth instar bivoltine NB18 silkworm larvae Bombyx mori, on the glycogen and protein contents of the Fat body and trehalose and protein contents of the haemolymph has been studied. Glycogen content of the fat body was significantly decreased in both testosterone propionate and estradiol -17${\beta}$ treatment groups except in the group treated with 30 ${\mu}g$ testosterone propionate where the increase was not significant when compared with those of carrier controls. The increase/decrease in haemolymph trehalose content did not show any significant difference in all the treated groups. Protein content of the fat body significantly increased in 10 and 20 mg testosterone propionate and estradiol -l7${\beta}$ treated groups but in 30 mg treated groups the increase was not significant when compared with those of carrier controls. There was no significant change in the haemolymph protein content in all the testosterone propionate and estradiol -17${\beta}$ treated groups except in group treated with 10 ${\mu}g$ estradiol -17${\beta}$ where it showed a significant decrease when compared with that of carrier control.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.143-145
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• 2005

Lamerin breed of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L. for Northeastern India hosts a vertically transmitted microsporidian parasite for generations, which does not harm significantly the cocoon production. The transversally infected progenies do not exhibit marked external sign or symptom. The microspordian causes inapparent infection and over $(80\%)$ of the infected progeny survives and spin cocoons. There is possibility of co-existence between the breed and the associated micosporidian parasite. To evaluate the impact of the microsporidian on breed the present study was conducted in respect of tranovarial transmitted (observed as T1), secondarily infected (observed as T2) and healthy silkworm (observed as T3). The larval and pupal mortality was $12\%$ and $6\%$ in T1 and $10\%$ and $3\%$ in T2 batch, while in case of T3 batch there was no mortality. Significant changes were also observed in single cocoon weight, single shell weight, denier, reelibility, raw silk recovery $\%$ and neetness. There is no significant impact of the infection on the fecundity and hatchability. The hatchability of the eggs laid by healthy or infected moths are equall as much as control but the progeny had the infection transmitted from the parent.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.59-64
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• 2011

Protein kinase C (PKC) is involved in many cellular signaling pathways, it participates in many physiological processes, such as cell cycle, growth, proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. To investigate the effect of PKC on the silkworm midgut tissue infection of Bombyx mori parvo-like virus (BmPLV), a B. mori atypical protein kinase C (BmaPKC) gene was cloned from larval midgut tissue, expressed in E. coli and purified. Additionally, the BmPLV susceptible silkworm strain and resistant silkworm strain were used to test the effect of the B. mori infection on BmPLV. The result showed that BmaPKC encodes a predicted 586 amino acid protein, which contains a C-terminal kinase domain and an N-terminal regulatory domain. The maximum expression amount of the soluble (His)6-tagged fusion protein was detected after 0.8 mmol/L IPTG was added and cultured at $21^{\circ}C$. The (His) 6-tagged fusion protein revealed about 73 kDa molecular weight which confirmed by western blot and mass spectrography. Furthermore BmaPKC protein were detected at 0-72 h post-infection in BmPLVinfected larval midgut tissue, western blot showed that as time went on, the expression of BmaPKC increased gradually in susceptible strain, the expression quantity on 72 h is 5 times of 0 h. However, in resistant strain, the expression quantity is slightly lower than susceptible strain. But no significant change in resistant strain was observed as time went on. The available data suggest that BmaPKC may involve in the regulation of BmPLV proliferation.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2002

The introduction of hybrid and exploitation of heterosis has played a vital role in Indian sericulture industry, which clearly depicts a quantum jump in silk production during the last four decades. Since, the introduction of heterosis, progress in silkworm breeding has depended on success or failure in identifying better combiners. Systematic procedures developed have enabled the breeders to identify the best combiners by combining ability test, line ${\TIMES}$ tester analysis or $D^2$ analysis for maximum expression of heterosis. The level of heterosis expressed in the crossbreed population is determined by the interaction between genotype and prevailing environmental factors. Except some of the pre and post cocoon parameters, heterosis is invariably higher in single crosses compared to three-way and double crosses. However, during hot and humid season, when rearing of F1 bivoltine hybrid is unsuccessful at field level and indigenous races results in very low and poor quality yield, three-way and double crosses can play an important role as an intermediary technology. The objective of this article is to review briefly the concept and causes of heterosis, utilization of different forms of heterosis in silk production and its significance in silkworm, Bombyx mori breeding.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.789-795
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• 2013

Current study was to investigate the potential effects of silkworm, Bombyx mori L. fermented with Bacillus subtilis (BFSP) and Aspergillus kawachii (AFSP) at the 5% (w/w) levels in Sprague-Dawley rats, which was intoxicated with 1% (w/w) orotic acid (OA) for 10 days. The rat group administered silkworm powder showed improvements in fatty liver condition. Consumption of fermented silkworm powder reduced triglyceride concentrations in the liver tissues and serum and increased the serum lipid concentrations to normal levels, thereby aiding in improving fatty liver conditions. These effects were more pronounced in the BFSP than that in SP or AFSP in orotic acid-induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress. Based on these results, fermented silkworms are considered to be a material with significant potential for development into a functional health food that can improve fatty liver conditions.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.564-569
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• 2000

This study was designed to investigate the effect of silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) powder on lipofuscin, acetylcholine (ACh) and its related enzyme activities in brain of rats. Sprague-Dawley (SD) male rats ($160{\pm}10g$) were fed basic diet (control group), and experimental diets (SWP-200 and SWP-400 groups) added 200 and 400 mg/kg BW/day for 6 weeks. In case of liver membranes, lipofuscin (LF) levels resulted in a slight decreases (4.6% and 11.5%, respectively) in SWP-200 and SWP-400 groups compared with control group. But in case of barin as the most sensitive organ, LF levels were remarkably inhibited about 16.7% and 20.0% in SWP-200 and SWP-400 groups compared with control group. There were no significant differences in acetylcholine (ACh) syntheses as a very important neurotransmitter, and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activities as a synthesis enzyme of ACh, and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities as a hydrolysis enzyme, which were concerned in transmission of neuron through synapses in brain of SWP-200 and SWP-400 groups compared with control group. Monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) activities were significantly inhibited (about 10.2%) in brain of SWP-400 groups compared with control group. These results suggest that inhibiting effects of LF accumulation and MAO-B activity of silkworm powder (SWP) may play a pivotal role in attenuating a various age-related changes for improvement of brain function.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 2019

The effect of heat treatment on the sterilization and fatty acid compositions of silkworm powder was carried out under the guidance of Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Food borne pathogens or microorganisms including E. coli, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococus aureus, Clostridium perfringens and aflatoxin, were not detected. The fatty acid composition was hardly changed after the silkworm powder was treated to a high temperature of $121^{\circ}C$. The low temperature sterilization of silkworm powder at $63^{\circ}C$ decreased the concentration of E. coli while high temperature sterilization at $121^{\circ}C$ has found no traces of microorganism.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.5-11
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• 2002

Seven fungicides viz., salcylic acid, bacistin (Carbandazim 50% WP), bayleton (Triadimefon 25% WP), Dithane M-45 (Mancozeb 75% WP), captan (Captaf 50% WP) formaldehyde and benzoic acid at three concentrations (0.50,0.75 and 1.0%) and ten plant products viz., Hena leaf, garlic bulb, tomato leaf, mango bark, cotton leaf, turmeric powder, onion, tulsi leaf, neem leaf and ginger at 1.0,2.0 and 3.0% concentrations were screened against Aspergillus flavus and A. tamarii in vitro. Among fungicides, salcylic acid and bavistin and among plants Hena and Mango bark powder were found to be very effective at all concentrations tested. Based on in vitro screening, only selected six fungicides at 1.0, 1.5 and 2.(0% and six plants at 2.0,4.0 and 6.0% concentrations were tested in vivo for controlling Aspergillosis in silkworm. Salcylic acid and bavistin fungicides and Hena leaf powder and Mango bark powder have shown considerable effect in controlling Aspergillus infection in silkworm at all concentrations tested.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2008

Under the all India programme of evaluation of mulberry and silkworm genotypes, twelve bivoltine silkworm breeds obtained from Central Silkworm Germplasm Resource Centre, Hosur (CSGRC) were evaluated at the bivoltine silkworm breeding laboratory, Central Sericultural Research & Training Institute, Mysore (CSR&TI). These breeds were tested during September-October 2003, August-September 2004 and February-March 2005. The average temperature and humidity during September-October 2003 was $26.5^{\circ}C$ and 72.6% RH, while during August-September 2004, it was $26.5^{\circ}C$ and 75.2% RH and during February-March 2005 it was $24^{\circ}C$ and 48% RH respectively. The performance of the breeds in respect of 21 traits was studied and statistically analyzed using analysis of variance (Singh and Choudhary, 1985). Silkworm breeds were short-listed using multiple trait evaluation index method as suggested by Mano et at., (1993). Evaluation Index values were calculated for all the 11 traits of economic importance and six breeds were short-listed based on average index value 50 and above 50. Two breed viz., BV 183 (SMGS-1) have recorded average E.I. >50 in 10 traits (except in neatness) and ranked first and the breed BV 262 (SMGS9) with E.I. value >50 in nine traits except in cocoon weight and neatness ranked second, in the order of merit. These two breeds may be selected as resource material for evolving region specific silkworm breeds.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.87-93
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• 2006

Multiplication and spore production of three microsporidia viz., Nosema bombycis, Nosema sp. 1 and Nosema sp. 2 in fifth instar larval tissues of silkworm, Bombyx mori L. in two seasons with distinct temperature regimes were studied. Nosema sp. 2 produced significantly (P < 0.01) higher number of spores in various tissues. Among the tissues, spore production was highest in silk gland, followed by fat body and gut. Spore production was significantly (P < 0.01) higher in season-II (Average temperature $29.4{\pm}1.1^{\circ}C$). Maximum spore production was observed 25 days post inoculation (p. i.) in season-I (Average temperature $18.9{\pm}1.1^{\circ}C$), whereas in season-II, it was 14 days p. i. In season-I, spore production was low up to 21 days p. i., then increased sharply. In season-II, there was a steady increase in spore production. The results indicate that the microsporidian multiplication is tissue specific and extremely sensitive to temperature at which the host is reared. It also reveals that, silk gland, fat body and gut are the most appropriate tissues for microscopic identification of microsporidia in the larval stage.